Senior Care in Fresh Meadows, NY – Monitoring a Senior’s Weight is a Key Component of Home Care
When we generally think about weight loss, we are thinking about a scenario that involves overweight individuals losing pounds to better their lives. From children to adults, obesity is a major concern across the country. Some equate this to a more sedentary lifestyle while others blame fast food and processed meals.
However, when it comes to individuals who rely on senior care, the weight loss that we were talking about is the dangerous kind. It is the situation where the elderly patient is already been and begins to lose even more weight.
There could be a number of reasons for this weight loss, from a medical condition that has yet to be diagnosed, medication that the individual is taking, inability to prepare nutritious meals, or even depression.
Senior home services can be an important asset in paying attention to weight loss in seniors. That’s because a senior care provider who is working with the elderly individual on a regular basis will begin to notice a change in the individual’s physical appearance. They will notice that the clothing fits differently, that their face is thinner, or that there are heavier bags under their eyes as though they have not been sleeping well.
When somebody is already on the low end of their ideal weight scale and begins to lose a pound or two a week, this can be a very serious medical situation within a matter of days rather than months.
The senior care provider should notify the patient or his or her family about their concerns with regard to sudden weight loss. It may be a side effect of medication and the doctor can try a different medication as a result.
It may be as simple as they don’t feel like preparing meals, don’t have groceries in the house to make a meal, or even ill-fitting dentures that make eating uncomfortable. All of these scenarios can be remedied by a senior care provider. They can assist seniors in cooking meals and learning new recipes, take them to the grocery store on a regular basis, and take them to dental appointments when needed. Even if the cause of the weight loss is something more serious, like depression, a senior care provider can find the source of the problem and help to determine a solution.
No matter the circumstances or cause of weight loss, senior home services can make a difference. When days matter most, having somebody working with the patient on a regular basis can actually save a life.